dreck
Americannoun
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anything regarded as worthless or of low quality; junk.
It would be an insult to the actors and the writers to nominate this fine film along with the dreck they are glorifying this year.
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He is cleaning off the years of rust, dreck, and corrosion before continuing his restoration of the various parts.
noun
Other Word Forms
- drecky adjective
Etymology
Origin of dreck
First recorded in 1920–25; from Yiddish drek; cognate with German Dreck “filth”; compare Old English threax, Old Norse threkkr “excrement”
Explanation
Something you buy that's cheap or badly made is dreck. While you can find great bargains at a dollar store, most of what they sell is dreck. Use the word dreck when you're talking about products that are worthless, flimsy, or of poor quality. Terrible art and trashy shows on TV are also dreck, as is a badly written book or a political speech that's full of lies and exaggeration. What these things have in common is a lack of value or quality. Dreck is a Yiddish word that comes from the German Dreck, which means both "dirt" and "manure."
Vocabulary lists containing dreck
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Rather than on Bluesky, Lee posted his dreck on X.
From Slate • Sep. 11, 2025
Fielding a strong defense after five seasons of dreck on that side of the ball could not elevate the team after the departure of quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson.
From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 27, 2023
“Talk to Me” seemingly takes place entirely at night, adding to the atmosphere, but it never devolves into dull gray dreck.
From Seattle Times • Jul. 27, 2023
“Reportedly. These are all hit pieces, these are dreck, sir. This is a pathetic attempt,” Depp said.
From Washington Post • Apr. 25, 2022
It felt odd to be wearing shoes in June, but I was glad to have them since the streets were sharp with bits of glass and metal, filthy with dust and dreck.
From "Beyond the Bright Sea" by Lauren Wolk
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
